Basketball icon Michael Jordan says he has little interest in the never-ending conversation about the game’s “Greatest of All Time,” arguing that the debate ignores the contributions of earlier stars.
Speaking in the latest Insights to Excellence segment released this week, the six-time NBA champion explained why he steers clear of the GOAT discussion that frequently pits him against LeBron James and, to a lesser extent, the late Kobe Bryant.
“The whole GOAT term is never going to be something that I get high or low about; it just doesn’t exist for me,” Jordan said. “I never played against Oscar Robertson or Jerry West. I would have loved to.”
Desire to Face Modern Stars
Jordan added that the competitor in him wishes he could have matched up with James and Bryant while all three were in their primes. Jordan’s final NBA season with the Washington Wizards ended in 2003, the year before James entered the league, and his meetings with Bryant came when the Lakers guard was still a teenager or Jordan was past his peak.
Respect for Previous Generations
The Hall of Famer warned that elevating one era over another can create resentment among players whose accomplishments are overlooked. He specifically named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell as examples of legends who should not be pushed “in the corner.”
“Part of the marketing, part of the hype, tries to elevate one generation above the other,” Jordan said. “It creates animosity… We should always honor and preserve what every generation has done for the game.”
Jordan concluded that while fans and media will likely continue the GOAT debate, the question can never be answered definitively. “It is an empty comparison,” he said. “We’ll never know.”
Source: Lakers Nation
